Match Report : 18/08/2015

Burton Albion came from behind to claim victory at Bloomfield Road, as Neil McDonald’s wait for a first win as Blackpool boss goes on.

A brace from Abdenasser El Khayati did the damage for The Brewers, who punished their hosts for failing to build on their half-time lead.

Until the break it had all gone according to plan for the hosts, who deserved the lead given to them through Jack Redshaw’s first Blackpool goal.

However, Albion were the better side in the second period and after El Khayati bent home the equaliser, his late free-kick sealed victory.

It was the Dutchman who fired the first warning sign of the contest, seeing his long-range effort off a corner fly over the crossbar. Mark Duffy then swung a shot wide for the Burton, who were making all the early running.

Blackpool’s first effort of note came as the result of a short free-kick, which ended with Henry Cameron curling his shot over the bar, and from there Pool clicked into place.

Moments later the winger turned provider for Brad Potts, whose sweetly-struck effort sailed narrowly over the bar. Redshaw was the next man on the spot, but his weak effort was cleared by the away defence.

So when the breakthrough finally arrived The Seasiders thoroughly deserved it. Cameron made it down the right, exploiting the space before finding Redshaw perfectly placed to tuck home his first for the club.

Burton’s response came through former Borussia Dortmund man Timmy Thiele, but the German’s effort flew into Kyle Letheren’s hands.

As the half-time whistle approached Mark Cullen tested Jon McLaughlin in the Albion goal, but the lead couldn’t be extended before the break.

Half-Time: Blackpool 1 Burton Albion 0

After the interval Burton squandered two presentable openings almost instantly, on both occasions Letheren did his job, denying Stuart Beavon and Thiele.

However, the stopper could do nothing to prevent them equalising. Cameron gave the ball away cheaply with a sloppy pass and El Khayati made him pay by bending his effort beyond Letheren on 57 minutes.

McDonald responded with two substitutions in quick succession, bringing on Charles Dunne and Connor Oliver for Bright Osayi-Samuel and Jim McAlister.

The changes made little impact to proceedings however, and The Brewers would have lead had Damien McRory got a sweeter connection on a short corner.

Blackpool goalscorer Redshaw was continuing to put himself about for the hosts, and after twisting through shot straight at McLaughlin.

At the other end Letheren kept his side in the contest with a crucial save, getting down low to deny Beavon, who’d been put through after forward play by Duffy.

The winner arrived five minutes from time and it was that man El Khayati who produced the goods again for his side. A clumsy foul from Dunne gifted Burton a free-kick on the edge of the box, and the winger’s set piece kissed the underside of the crossbar on its way into the top corner.

Cullen was denied with the final half-chance of the contest, as Pool finished the beaten side again.